Bibi Shabeeka Hardat, the mother of three-year-old Shameena Hardat and disabled nine-year-old Animika Hardat, who tragically lost their lives in a fire in Belmont, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara (ECD), earlier this month, is anxiously awaiting the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) report regarding the cause of the deadly inferno.
In an interview with this publication, she expressed her hope that the investigation’s findings would be released soon to dispel the misconception that her children were playing with matches, which had been reported by some sections of the media.
Hardat strongly denied the accusations of being a careless mother and emphasised that she had hidden all flammable materials before leaving home on the day of the fire.
Furthermore, she highlighted that her older daughter was unable to do anything independently, raising doubts about the possibility of the children starting the fire themselves.
The grieving mother said she has faced significant scrutiny and false accusations in the aftermath of the tragic incident. She hopes that the official findings will put an end to the rumours and allow her to mourn the loss of her daughters without the burden of unjust blame.
“Do you think it is easy losing two children? Do you know what I have been through to take care of them? I worked very hard for my children with no help from anyone, including their father.
“As for him, now he knows his other two children. After the two girls died, now he came claiming he has to get the two boys, but I will not give up my children,” the woman said.
“They [the Fire Service] never tell me anything, and I’m just confused about everything. Nobody is telling me anything. They just came on the day, and I never saw them go back to the scene. My children were not playing with any matches… This is not the first time we had a fire. There was an attack on my life before.”
She also said that after the fire, the Government did offer her and her family assistance by providing them with a place to stay, and she is scared that the time will come when they will not have anywhere to go.
“Sometimes my mother gives us a little food. We lost everything, and my sons can’t really do anything with school because we lost everything, and all their books burned up in the fire. I am not working. I need help, and I miss my children. It is not easy,” the woman expressed.
The fire that claimed the children’s lives occurred on June 7 while she had briefly left the house to run an errand at Cove and John, ECD, just a few villages away. She was devastated upon receiving the news of the fire and was unable to reach home in time to save her daughters.
The house, owned by her father and occupied by a total of 13 individuals, including her family of six, had multiple apartments. The upper part of the house, where the fire occurred, was locked with a padlock while the children were inside.
Neighbours made valiant efforts to rescue the girls but were hindered by locked doors before reaching them. The stepfather of the children, who was not present at the time of the fire, expressed his deep anguish and regret for not being able to save the children.
On the day of the fire, the grieving mother revealed that their home had been targeted in the past, with a neighbour setting their house ablaze last year, causing harm to her and property damage. The neighbour responsible had served time in prison but was since released.
Despite the challenges they faced, including her disabled child, Shabeeka said she had been working hard to provide for her children with the support of her common-law husband. However, due to her child’s disability and financial constraints, she often left the children at home alone.
Anyone willing to assist the family is asked to contact Bibi on +592 603-2419.
